Tunnel-kiln.



I. B.4 OWENS.

TUNNEL KILN. APPLICATION FlLED MAR- 3. 1911,.

1 ,246, 148, Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS- SHEET l.

Patented Nov. 13, 19]

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.IIIIIIII Urn'rnn srarns PATNT ormon.

JOHN B. OWENS, 0F METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY.

TUNNEL-Kinn. I

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN B. OWENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Metuchen, county of Middlesex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tunnel-Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tunnel kilns and has for its object the provision of means for cooling the mechanismof cars or other conwying devices for the ware.

In tunnel kilns it has been customary to provide a sand seal or similar means to shut off the heat in the tunnel so that it will not have access to the under parts of the applivances, for instance cars, which carry the ware being burned. Such cars are usually provided with a protecting platform of refractory material. The integrity of sand seals is diiiicult to maintain'and if the seal is broken, damage is liable to result to the wheels trucks, tracks, and other appliances beneath the refractory platform of the car.' In an application for balanced and controllable draft fortunnel kilns, Serial No. 152,444, filed Mar. 3, 1917,. I have explained my improvements by which inert air is maintained below the car platforms as an insulator from the heat above said platforms to supplement the insulating action of the platforms. Theinertness of the air in the space below the platforms is occasioned by sealing that space from the outside air and preventing it from having direct connection with the draft outlet to the stack except by air leakage through the space between the tunnel walls and the edges of the refractory car platforms, and the spaces between the cars. In that application I have set forth inspection tunnels and openings therefrom, controlled by a damper, leading into the bottom of the kiln. For purpbses of maintaining the balanced draft, as set forth in that application, such an arrangement is all that is necessary.

The object of my present invention is the provision of inspection channels'lcommunieating with the tunnels and running lengthwise beneath the kiln and openinginto the lower portion thereof, combined with a novel arrangement of dampers by which, under normal conditions of operation theJ control of the cooling air to. the inert air space below the cars may be carried out by adjust` ment of a damper, in each instance. Inaddition theretothere are provided other dam- Speciication of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 3, 1917.

' controllable Serial No. 152,443.

pers which may, normally seal the points of communication between the main inspection tunnels and the inspection channels, but are capable of being opened whenever access is to be had to the inspection channels. Under normal conditions the inspection channels are not used, but at those times when inspection of the bottom of the kiln-tunnel and of the cars therein, is desirable or neoessary, the dampers which control the junctures of the channels with the main inspection tunnel may be opened to permit a workman to enter such channels.

In an application for kilns, filed July 15, 1916, Serial Number 109511, I have disclosed inspection tunnels extending transversely beneath the kiln Vand inspection channels extending longitudinally of the kiln and opening into the bottoni thereof, said channels intersecting the tunnels and provided with dampers for closing them or regulating the fiow of air from the inspection tunnels into the space below the car platforms. In that application I have .diS- closed sand seals.

With my present improvements, inspection of the interior of the kiln may ordi- Patented Nov. 13,1917.

'roy

narily'be conducted by moving the damper the admission of cool air to the space below the car platforms and as an inspection manhole. There being times, however, when it is advisable to inspect a relatively long stretch ofthe kiln, o fof the cars, the inspeotionI channels running lengthwise beneath the kiln, afford means for the observer to reach any desired point after the dampers controlling the` entries to the inspection channels have Ibeen opened.

In practice, the flow of outer cool air through the inspection tunnel into the kiln can'be so regulated that the observer experiences no discomfort when projecting his head and shoulders into the space below the ears. The manner in which the -balanced -condition ismaintainedbetween the inert air space below the car platforms, and the high temperature or burning space above them, together with the air leakage around theedges of the car. platforms, is fully ex plained in my Aapplication for balanoedand draft for 4tunnel kilns.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings and hereinafter described is to be considered as illustrative, rather than restrictive, of the scope of the invention, as other forms may be resorted to without changing the essential principle thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, certain parts being broken away in section, and in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 a longitudinal detail section of the entry end of the kiln and the burning zone, showing one "of the inspection tunnels and the channels and dampers, also a car and the air-lock;

Fig. 3 a detail horizontal section con-A stituting a continuation ofu the showing of Fig. 2, illustrating the furnace and another inspection tunnel, channels and dampers; and

Fig. t a detail cross section on the line 1 -i Fig. a.

The kiln has an air-lock 1 whose doors are shown at 2 and 3. After the ware has passed from the lock 1, under the door 3, it is in the kiln proper 1, where it is first dried in the drying zone portion thereof V(Fig. l) and is heated until it reaches a point opposite the furnaces 5 1 and 3). The ware is cooled as it passes beyond the furnaces 5 into the cooling zone 6 (Figs. 1 and 3), thence into the air-lock 7 having the doors 8 and 9 and nally out of the end of the kiln, the direction of travel being shown by the arrow "at the left of Fig. 1.

The stack,lor other draft inducing means, is not shown, but it draws on the kiln at a suitable point as shown in my application for balanced and controllable draft for tunnel kilns.-

Extending transversely beneath the kiln are inspection tunnels 10 and 11 of which there may be as many as desired. These tunnels may run under a plurality of kilns where more than one kiln is used. Intersecting each tunnel, is an inspection channel 12 which is open at its top 13 and communicates -with the bottom of the kiln; these channels extend longitudinally of the kiln.

Dampers 14C of any desired type are adapted v21 extending along the bottom of the kiln.

Sand seals are entirely dispensed with. The edges of the car platforms are received in horizontal grooves or channels 22 1n the sides of the kiln. The free spaces where the car platforms are received in the channels, enable an air leakage to occur from the inert air space 16 into the burning space 23. The inertness of the air in the space 16 is due to the fact that this space is sealed from the outside air and has no direct connection with any draft outlet. except by leakage around the edges of the platform 17. The inert air in the space 16 acts as an insulator from the heat in the upper portion 23 of the kiln.

The temperature in the space 16 is relatively low so that no injury can occur to the tracks, trucks, or wheels below the. retractorY platform 17. Indeed. a workman or inspector can introduce his head and shoulders through the opening 18, into the space 16 without any discomfort duc to the temperature conditions and the same is true regarding temperature conditions in the inspection channels 12. The furnaces 5 may utilize any fuel desired. A main 21 for conveying producer gas to branches 25 leading to outlets 26 in the furnaces 5 is shown. Although shown underground in this case, the gas main may be constructed above the kiln or in whatever way may be most convenient. The control of theI gas to the respective branches 25 is had by manipulating valves 27. (,lhecker brick work 28 may be used when producer gas i s employed as the tuel. as checker work serves to distribute the heat. uniformly, acts as an accumulator for holding or retaining the heat at a point where the highest temperature is required and promotes combustion by mixing the air and gas. The form of the furnaces and the fuel therefor is immaterial to the present invention.

The cars 19% ot' which one is shown in Fig. 2, may be propelled. step by step, through the kiln by any suitable means. I have shown a sprocket. cha in 29 having teeth 30 to engage a member 31 on the car. Any suitable means may be employed for operating the chain 29.

rPhe cars are loaded with the ware and then moved into the air-lock 1, after opening door 2, by operating the chain 29. By using a pusher bar or other suitable means, any cars in advance of the car entering the air-lock, are pushed along within the kiln hy this action. Each succeeding car, when loaded and a d vanccd by operating the chain 29, serves as a pusher for all cars ahead of it. rlhe door 2 may have an opening for thel pusher bar to travel through. When the cars emerge, one at a time, from the air-lock 7, the ware has been successively dried, burned, and cooled. If the kiln is completely filled with cars, as a car enters airlock 1, the car at the other end of the kiln passes out of air-lock 7, with the ware completely burned.

Having thus 'described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

the kiln and opening thereinto, a tunnel :tf-I fording communication with said channel,

there being provided an opening affording communication between the channel and the tunnel and another opening affording communication between the tunnel and the interior of the kiln, and independent closures for the respective openings aforesaid.

2. A tunnel kiln provided with an inspection channel extending lengthwise beneath the kiln and opening thereinto, a tunnel affording communication with said channel, there being provided an opening affording communication between the channel and the tunnel and another openinggafording communicatie `\Lbetween the tunnel and the interior of``t "e kiln, means closing communication bet',y den the tunnel and the channel, and a .dam it controlling the opening connecting the",I "nnelto the kiln.

3. A tunn i kiln provided with an inspection channel`extending lengthwise beneath the kiln' and opening thereinto, a, tunnel affording communication with said channel, there being provided an opening affording communication between the channel and the tunnel and another opening affording communication between the tunnel andthe interior of the kiln, and independent dampersV I for the respective openings aforesaid whereby. said openings may be individually or collectively opened, closed or adjusted.

4. A tunnel kiln provided with an inspection and air-supplying tunnel .and with branch channels communicating with said inspection tunnel which extend lengthwise beneath the kiln and open into the bottom thereof, said kiln being provided with an air-supplying and inspection opening com? municating with the inspection tunnel independently of the communication of the' branch channels with said tunnel, means for closing communication between the branch channels and the ininection tunnel to normally prevent passage of air from the tunnel into said channels,y and a damper for the opening aforesaid whereby the admission of air from the tunnel through said opening into the kiln may be regulated and said opening uncovered for inspection purposes.

5. A tunnel kiln provided with an inspection and air-supplying tunnel and with branch channels communicating with vsaid inspection tunnel which extend lengthwise beneath the kiln and open into the bottom thereof, said kiln being provided with an air-supplying and inspection opening communicating with the inspection tunnel independently of the communication of the' branch channels with said tunnel, dampers adapted to" open and close. communication between the respective inspection channels and air-supplying and inspection tunnel,

and a damper for the air-supplying and inspectio'n opening aforesaid, the respective damper-s aforesaid being adapted for independent operation.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my signature.

JOHN B. owENs. 

